FG distributes food items to 1,000 households in Benue

The federal government has distributed food and nutritional items to internally displaced persons (IDPs) across the three senatorial zones of Benue State. About 1,000 vulnerable families benefitted from the intervention during the flag-off ceremony in Makurdi. Items distributed include red oil, vegetable oil, bags of rice, garri and beans, as well as seasoning cubes, salt […]

The federal government has distributed food and nutritional items to internally displaced persons (IDPs) across the three senatorial zones of Benue State.

About 1,000 vulnerable families benefitted from the intervention during the flag-off ceremony in Makurdi.

Items distributed include red oil, vegetable oil, bags of rice, garri and beans, as well as seasoning cubes, salt and tomato paste.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, who flagged off the distribution, said the exercise was part of the Presidential Initiative for Food and Nutrition Assistance.

He described the intervention as a demonstration of federal government’s resolve to support communities affected by displacement, insecurity, communal conflicts and livelihood disruptions.

Doro noted that Benue State had faced significant humanitarian pressures in recent years due to armed violence, farmer-herder conflicts, displacement and destruction of farmlands.

According to him, these challenges have weakened agricultural productivity, disrupted food systems and placed enormous strain on thousands of households, particularly women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities and internally displaced persons.

The minister also revealed that the federal government is expanding and strengthening the national social register to ensure that vulnerable populations across the country are properly identified, documented and integrated into structured social protection systems.

In his remarks, the governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, lamented that the state continued to face severe humanitarian pressures arising from persistent insecurity and communal conflicts, particularly farmer-herder clashes that have disrupted farming activities and rural livelihoods.

One of the beneficiaries, Peter Goyi, described the intervention as timely, noting that it would help to alleviate hunger and hardship.

Another beneficiary, Terser Adah, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the support, saying the items would help to cushion the impact of economic hardship on his family.